Techniques including URL recognition and applications

ABSTRACT

Methods are systems are provided that include obtaining a digital image from a digital photograph, such as may be taken by a digital camera or a camera phone. The digital image includes, for example, a URI or URL, which may be contained within a visible frame. A character recognition technique, such as an optical character recognition technique, may be used to recognize the URI or URL from the digital image. The URI or URL may be used to access a corresponding Web page. The character recognition technique may be applied on the digital camera or cell phone itself, or remotely.

BACKGROUND

Use of codes, such as codes that may be scanned or digitally photographed and may be used to access information or resources, including use of QR codes, among other techniques, have become increasingly possible and popular. For example, a cell phone or smart phone user may use the phone to obtain a digital image of a QR code. The QR code may be decoded to indicate a Web page, for example, that the user may then access. However, QR code usage, and other techniques, may be subject to various disadvantages.

SUMMARY

Some embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods that include obtaining a digital image from a digital photograph, such as may be taken by a digital camera or a camera phone. The digital image may include a URI, such as a URL, other alphanumeric information, which may be contained within a visible frame. A character recognition technique, such as an optical character recognition technique, may be used to recognize the URI or URL from the digital image. The URI or URL may be used to access a corresponding Web page. The character recognition technique may be applied on or using the digital camera or cell phone itself, or remotely.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a distributed computer system according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a method according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating a method according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method according to one embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of the invention.

While the invention is described with reference to the above drawings, the drawings are intended to be illustrative, and the invention contemplates other embodiments within the spirit of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a distributed computer system 100 according to one embodiment of the invention. The system 100 includes user computers or other devices, including cell phones, etc. 104, advertiser computers 106 and server computers 108, all coupled or able to be coupled to the Internet 102. Although the Internet 102 is depicted, the invention contemplates other embodiments in which the Internet is not included, as well as embodiments in which other networks are included in addition to the Internet, including one more wireless networks, WANs, LANs, telephone, cell phone, or other data networks, etc. The invention further contemplates embodiments in which user computers or other computers may be or include wireless, portable, or handheld devices such as cell phones, PDAs, etc.

Each of the one or more computers (or other devices such as cell phones, smart phones, cameras, camera phones, etc.) 104, 106, 108 may be distributed, and can include various hardware, software, applications, algorithms, programs and tools. Depicted computers may also include a hard drive, monitor, keyboard, pointing or selecting device, etc. The computers may operate using an operating system such as Windows by Microsoft, etc. Each computer may include a central processing unit (CPU), data storage device and various amounts of memory including RAM and ROM. Depicted computers may also include various programming, applications, algorithms and software to enable searching, search results, and advertising, such as graphical or banner advertising as well as keyword searching and advertising in a sponsored search context. Many types of advertisements are contemplated, including textual advertisements, rich advertisements, video advertisements, etc.

As depicted, each of the server computers 108 includes one or more CPUs 110 and a data storage device 112. The data storage device 112 includes a database 116 and a Recognition and Applications Program 114.

The Program 114 is intended to broadly include all programming, applications, algorithms, software and other and tools necessary to implement or facilitate methods and systems according to embodiments of the invention. The elements of the Program 114 may exist on a single server computer or be distributed among multiple computers or devices.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 200 according to one embodiment of the invention. At step 202, using one or more computers, digital image information is obtained, in which the digital image information corresponds to a digital image, and in which the digital image is from a digital photograph taken by a portable electronic device.

At step 204, using one or more computers, utilizing one or more character recognition techniques, a URI or URL included within the digital image is determined. In other embodiments, an alphabetical, numerical, alphanumerical, or other symbol-based item or string may be determined, which may not be a URI or URL.

At step 206, the URI or URL is wirelessly transmitted to the portable electronic device.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 300 according to one embodiment of the invention. At step 302, on an Internet-enabled portable electronic device, digital image information is obtained, in which the digital image information corresponds to a digital image, and in which the digital image relates to a digital photograph.

At step 304, using one or more computers or computerized devices, utilizing one or more character recognition techniques, a URI or URL included within the digital image is determined.

At step 306, on the Internet-enabled portable electronic device, utilizing the URI or URL, a Web page corresponding to the URI or URL is accessed, such as by using a browser on the device.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram 400 illustrating one embodiment of the invention. At step 402, a digital photograph or scan is taken, by a device, of an object (newspaper, screen, etc.) including acceptable URL image. In various embodiments, different qualities may be necessary for a URL image to be acceptable. In some embodiments, any URL that is satisfactorily recognizable to obtain a URI or URL is acceptable. For example, in some embodiments, the URL image must be of sufficient quality or resolution, or the angle must be sufficiently minimal, or the letters must be of a certain size or type, etc. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the URI or URL is contained within a visible frame, such as within lines forming a rectangle. The frame may appear on the object itself so as to be included on an image, or may be applied to the image after being taken or scanned, automatically or by a user, for example. Such a frame may enhance or optimize recognizability, which can include determining the location of the URL on an image, as well as interpreting letters, etc. In some embodiments, such a frame is necessary for acceptability, while in some embodiments it is not. Furthermore, in some embodiments, other visual cues or marks may be included, on an object or image, to aid in, enhance, or allow recognizability.

In some embodiments, an application is used on the photographing device, to implement or facilitate inventive methods. For example, in some embodiments, a cell phone application is opened, and the photograph is taken using the application. The application may then support character recognition, or sending for remote character recognition and receiving a URL. The application may then further be used in connecting to the Web page, storing the URL, etc. The application may also be used in various other ways, such as aiding in, enhancing, or optimizing recognizability of the image. For example, the application may alter, modify, or normalize the image, or any of various qualities or characteristics of the image, before character recognition is applied. This could include, for example, centering, changing or normalizing the angle at which the surface or URL portion appears, etc. It could also include taking away from the image, such as removing potentially confusing background or obscurities of the URL. It could further include adding to the image, such as by visibly boxing, circling, otherwise enclosing, or otherwise shading, marking or identifying the location of the URI or URL. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the user may take steps to enhance recognizability, such as by ensuring good photographing conditions or angle, etc.

Still further, the user may alter, enhance or modify the image, such as by marking the image to identify the URL portion, prior to character recognition. An application may or may not be of use in these various regards. Furthermore, an application may provide cues to the user prior to taking the photograph, such as by alerting the user to poor or inadequate conditions for character recognition, such as distance, angle, URL size or clarity, etc.

Various sophisticated character recognition techniques may be utilized in embodiments of the invention, and may include machine learning techniques or models, for example.

At step 404, the method 400 queries whether URL recognition is to be performed on the device or remotely. If on the device, then the method 400 proceeds to step 406, where, on the device, one or more character recognition techniques are applied to the digital image from the photograph to obtain a URL. If remotely, then, at step 408, the image from the photograph is sent to one or more remote computers, character recognition is performed on the image (which can include or mean a portion of the image) to obtain a URL, and the URL is sent to the device (or another device or devices).

At step 410, using the device (or another device), the URL used to access a Web resource such as a Web page.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram 500 illustrating one embodiment of the invention. A user 502 is depicted, who uses a camera phone 504 (a cell phone with a camera) including a digital camera 505 to take a picture of, or to scan, a portion of a newspaper 506 (or another object or thing such as a magazine, display or computer screen, side of a bus, etc.) including a visibly framed URL 507 (although, in some embodiments, the URL is not framed) to produce a digital image 508.

Following this, two different possible courses are depicted, although others are also contemplated. One possible course is depicted by block 510, at which one or more character recognition techniques are applied using the camera phone to obtain a URL.

Another possible course id depicted by block 512. At block 512, the image is sent, such as by being wireless sent by the camera phone over the Internet or one or more other phone, wireless, or other networks, to one or more remote computers, one or more character recognition techniques are applied, such as using at least one of the computers, and a resulting URL is sent, such as wirelessly sent, to the camera phone (or another device).

At block 514, the URL is used to access the associated Web resource or Web page, such as using the camera phone.

Some embodiments of the invention include using a device such as a cell phone or camera phone to scan or take a picture of an object including a URI or URL. In addition to various objects such as newspapers, magazines, and various other indoor or outdoor objects, in some embodiments, a picture can taken of, for example, a computer monitor or other display screen (or even a non-physical image). For example, in some embodiments, a user can take a picture of a URL appearing on a computer screen, to be able to access the Web page from the user's cell phone or other device, immediately or later, without the potentially cumbersome task of typing in the Web page or sending it to the user's device by email or text, etc.

Character recognition can then be used on the cell phone itself, or remotely, to recognize the URI or URL from the image, so that it can be used to access a Web resource such as a Web page. As described above, various standards or techniques can be applied or utilized with the URI or URL. (or other string, Web-related or otherwise, etc.) appearing on the object, to facilitate or ease character recognition, such as framing or otherwise marking a URI, URL, or string-containing portion, applying standards of clarity or other qualities to the URI or URL, etc. Furthermore, standards or requirements can be applied to the picture as well, such as being of sufficient clarity, or containing a sufficiently clear or large URI or URL, being taken at a specified range or maximum angle, etc.

If done remotely, powerful remote computers can be used to perform the character recognition. For example, in some embodiments, an Internet service provider providing Internet access for the cell phone may also provide the character recognition service or related services.

Some embodiments of the invention, for example, can provide a more convenient, simpler, more direct, or more user-friendly technique than QR code techniques. For example, acceptable URIs or URLs may be easier and simpler to generate than QR codes. Furthermore, QR code techniques may utilize various potentially difficult and annoying standards, software, applications, etc. while techniques according to some embodiments may be less complicated in this or other regards. Furthermore, directly displayed URLs or URLs are immediately understandable to the eye, whereas QR codes are not.

Although described primarily with regard to URLs and URLs, in some embodiments, the image could include characters, such as alphabetical, numerical or alphanumerical text, other than URLs or URIs. The characters from the image could be recognized, either on the photographing device or remotely, and used for various purposes.

Some embodiments of the invention provide various opportunities for advertisers and advertising. For example, the URL or URI could relate to a Web page containing one or more advertisements, or accessing the Web page could trigger or provide opportunities to serve advertisements. Alternatively, in some embodiments, advertising could be provided in connection with, or acceptance of advertising could be a condition of, utilizing a character recognition service or related services or actions. In some embodiments, the characters themselves could be or include an advertisement, coupon, offer, etc.

While the invention is described with reference to the above drawings, the drawings are intended to be illustrative, and the invention contemplates other embodiments within the spirit of the invention. 

1. A method comprising: using one or more computers, obtaining digital image information, wherein the digital image information corresponds to a digital image, and wherein the digital image is from a digital photograph taken by a portable electronic device; using one or more computers, utilizing one or more character recognition techniques, determining a URI or URL included within the digital image; and wirelessly transmitting the URI or URI to the portable electronic device.
 2. The method of claim 1, comprising obtaining the digital image information, wherein the digital image is from a digital photograph taken by a cell phone camera or a camera phone.
 3. The method of claim 1, comprising storing the digital image information in one or more data stores.
 4. The method of claim 1, comprising determining the URI or URL, wherein the one or more character recognition techniques comprise one or more optical character recognition techniques.
 5. The method of claim 1, comprising receiving the digital image from the portable electronic device for determination of the URI or URL.
 6. The method of claim 1, comprising determining the URI or URL remotely from the portable electronic device.
 7. The method of claim 1, comprising determining the URI or URL remotely from the portable electronic device using one or more server computers.
 8. The method of claim 1, comprising obtaining the digital image, wherein the URI or URL is contained within a visible rectangular box or other frame, and wherein the visible rectangular box or other frame facilitates or optimizes recognition of the URI or URL.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method serves as a replacement of or alternative to a method utilizing QR code.
 10. The method of claim 1, comprising storing the digital image in one or more databases.
 11. A system comprising: one or more server computers coupled to a network; and one or more databases coupled to the one or more server computers; wherein the one or more server computers are for: obtaining digital image information, wherein the digital image information corresponds to a digital image, and wherein the digital image is from a digital photograph taken by a portable electronic device; and utilizing one or more character recognition techniques, determining a URI or URL included within the digital image, prior to wirelessly transmitting the URI or URL to the portable electronic device.
 12. The system of claim 11, comprising wirelessly transmitting the URI or URL to the portable electronic device.
 13. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the one or more server computers are coupled to the Internet.
 14. A method comprising: on an Internet-enabled portable electronic device, obtaining digital image information, wherein the digital image information corresponds to a digital image, and wherein the digital image relates to a digital photograph; using one or more computers or computerized devices, utilizing one or more character recognition techniques, determining a URI or URL included within the digital image; and on the Internet-enabled portable electronic device, utilizing the URI or URL, accessing a Web page corresponding to the URI or URL.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the Internet-enabled portable electronic device is a digital camera, includes a digital camera, or is a camera phone, and comprises taking a digital photograph.
 16. The method of claim 14, comprising determining the URI or URL utilizing an application on the Internet-enabled portable electronic device.
 17. The method of claim 14, comprising obtaining the digital image, wherein the URI or URL is contained within a visible rectangular box or other frame, and wherein the visible rectangular box or other frame facilitates recognition of the URI or URL.
 18. The method of claim 14, wherein the method serves as a replacement or alternative a method utilizing QR code.
 19. The method of claim 14, comprising determining the URI or URL, wherein the one or more character recognition techniques comprise one or more optical character recognition techniques. 